MVSCZAR

(1) I used the same writing sample for all of my applications. My paper is somewhat long (40+ pages), so I directed them to read 20ish pages total. Some schools wanted even shorter Writing Samples but, oddly enough, those seem to be the schools I was most successful with. (2) I can't really help here. The GRE is a joke and can't really measure much except how well you can take tests, which is certainly a positive trait, anyway. I'm not even sure how much it really matters so long as you don't bomb it. (3) Honestly, I have no idea. Coincidentally, all my rejections (so far) come from schools to which another classmate also applied. (4) I don't have an MA, so I don't know. But I'm not sure if my school qualifies as "no-name" or not. (5) Meh. Half and halfsies. I basically said what I want to do, which happens to be both specific and vague. I used the same SOP for all of my applications and changed one or two sentences to make it seem more "personalized." But I didn't mention people I wanted to work with or anything. (6) I don't think it's a good idea to seem like a brown noser. That's also one of the reasons why I didn't mention POIs in my SOP, but that's just me. I also wouldn't know how to go about contacting them. I did go to some conferences and asked questions, and only accidentally started talking to people who ended up working in departments I was interested in. I don't mind sharing all of my documents and stuff if anyone wants to see them.

Is anyone else a masochist and watched that Donald Trump rally right now?

If Nat had called CUNY central, they would have said all the applications are being considered for next year instead. CUNY central is a Kafkaesque nightmare.

I really can't stand this chicken little bullshit back and forth. On the one hand, it isn't the end of the world that you used a masculine pronoun. No rational person would say this is an example of overt I discrimination. We get it, you meant well. But even as someone who is exceptionally tolerant of that and who refuses to use feminine pronouns as universals (prefering one, you, or they), your use of "he" was a little too obvious and sounded bad and exclusionary. Now we know you didn't mean it that way. Great. You're not a misogynist or a jerk or anything for using it. Just a bad writer, at least in that post. Nobody is faulting you for that nor should they. But your response is annoying and self righteous, because it does sound bad, and a *suggestion* to change a pronoun isn't some great affront to your Liberty. It isn't in itself some massive arrest of the /freedoms which built our wonderfully liberated western civilization./ It's an editing suggestion. That's all it is. Your rights aren't being stripped. This isn't some liberal plot to delegitimize dissent (and those do exist. There IS a problem with PC culture, but this is different.). It's not a slippery slope towards totalitarianism and against rationality and reason and common sense. You're not a martyr for using "him", "he", etc. @gughok gave you an excellent response. You don't have to take his suggestions. Nobody is forcing you to. Also, I worked for an academic journal as an editor, and we never sent a paper back or suggested someone use a different pronoun. I think that thats's a total exaggeration, and I don't know what the point is of pretending that that actually happens in most reputable journals. I suppose it does and should within certain AOIs, but it's not done across the board. But again, your problem is only tangentially political and primarily stylistic, and the writing we got was often by much better stylists. Also, you're posting this in a thread filled with a bunch of tense and anxious wanna-be philosophers with intellectual blue balls, myself included. What do you expect to happen? I'm not going to make any claim about you or your character or intentions, and I'll defend you against any accusations against your character. But, if you're wanting to have an actual discussion, we should have it, so long as you don't pretend that this is something it isn't. And also, so long as you don't hide behind that Orwellian nightmare bullshit. This isn't that conversation. That's too easy.

They're like, "Oh shit. I forgot about those applications I have to look at."

Damn. They really did let me know early. Perhaps decisions just started. Although, I feel like they just kinda say that. I called the classics dept for a friend a few days ago and they said late March/ early April and I was like, okayyyyy. And the next day there was a CUNY classics admit on grad cafe.

Johns jopkins! Yayyyyy!

I hope they call you!! They may have called me extra early. I do go to CUNY Hunter, after all.

You perfect person... I could kiss you.

Good jobbbbbb dude! Congrats!

Omg yes! I was gonna do some calling but, last week, I was getting calls from someone in NH and started to hate Bernie because of the amount of times my heart almost exploded. Also, I just got a call from some (646) 666-4284, and the call dropped when I picked up. So I looked it up and saw that the owner lives around Morningside Heights and I was like "homygawd Columbia." And then I called and it's like some fucking lawyer or something. Argh. 666 is damn right.

Bechkafish, stahp! You've got a few to hear back from, and you're great. I think you're great. Come to NY and we'll eat tacos and talk shit about nerdy adcoms.

Haha. Idk if the MAs have gone out, tho. Just saying.

Did you apply for the MA or the PhD?

I'm sorry to hear that, but I'm glad they didn't keep you waiting. I'm wondering if something is up with USPS.

This morning I was thinking maybe someone was fucking with me but then Gurtler emailed me back with a copy of the letter I *should* have gotten, dated Feb. 19. But I've also gotten an email from a grad student looking to set me up for the recruitment week. How many people do they normally accept? Quoted the wrong person. Whatevs.

Nice! I'm gonna have a craving now.

What kind of sandwich?

What kind of philosophy do you like and why do you want to go to graduate school for it?

Amazing! Congratulations, future dr!

I wish I could explain to all of you how shocked I am.

Claiming the Villanova waitlist. After an interview from hell, I'm surprised they've offered me anything but hemlock.

Claiming CUNY grad. Fml I can't even.

Jelly you get to work with Fine!

Oops, I didn't know that my Yale application would also be read by the classics department. To be honest, my writing sample is not necessarily classics friendly. Plato is my main man, but I like to get into Aristotle a bit as well. For Plato, I'm really into his method and the literary aspects of his dialogues. I'm also really into continental philosophy and do both simultaneously. I like Heidegger (obvs) and Hegel and Kant and Levinas. I really dig Jewish philosophy, actually. I also have a side interest in alchemy and magic (in philosophical ways, don't worry). All my stats are in my signature. I've had decent luck, but my application probably screams continental rather than ancient, and my writing sample is a bit risky for more traditional programs.